In a new interview with Deadline, Maisie Williams discusses her future as an actor on Game of Thrones and how things should work after it ends. The interview explores other roles she has taken on in the meantime and gives her thoughts about how she wants her future as an actor to take shape.
It’s been a joy to watch Maisie’s growth as an actor over the years on Game of Thrones winning our hearts and minds by playing Arya Stark and we are thrilled that she has been nominated for an Emmy this year.
Of her career so far, Maisie said,
Everything that’s happened in my career so far has happened really organically, and that’s the thing I’m going to take with me. But when the time is right, I know I’ll be able, as an actor, to create a new character and have the confidence to do that.
Maisie credits Nina Gold, the casting director, for recognizing what she would evolve to be in her teenage years. Maisie is a non-bookreader and had this to say about Arya and her interpretation:
I brought what I brought to Arya, and I’m thrilled with the character I’ve strangely created now. It would be amazing to go back and read them after the fact, and see exactly what she was supposed to be like.
She hasn’t relied on Arya alone, however. Maisie has worked on a variety of projects that certainly helped her development to include a 2015 feature film called The Falling, which they discuss in some detail in the interview. Check out Deadline for more on Maisie’s thoughts and plans for the future.
Hold the door!
She will have a career in acting as long as she wants one. I can see her as one of the instantly recognizable types throughout the years. Girl has mad talent and non-cookie-cutter projects and interests that will take her far. ❤
i hope lena wins the award
I love Maisie! I would love for her to win the award but I also think Lena will take it lol We’ll see!!! 🙂 🙂
I fell in love with Arya from the moment I saw her hiding in a wagon with a helmet on, while her family was waiting for the royal family’s visit. She has never ceased to amaze me. Reading this article makes me see that she has not just matured as an actor, but as a young woman. I look forward to seeing anything she chooses to be in!
I find it impossible now not to visualize Maisie’s Arya when reading the book chapters where she appears.
When you consider that a good deal of the Arya chapters have a lot of internal monologues, the TV character and personality did need plenty of fleshing out as well as simply showing the more action oriented scenes ( some of which of course invented or changed to fit the show story). IMO it was probably better not to read the books first because you have to work from the scripts and what the director needs and there are some necessary cuts and changes for TV – and it’s probably allowed Maisie to learn her art much more than simply trying to slavishly copy Book!Arya for pure fan service.
It has been certainly a gift of a role to work with experienced accomplished actors and directors at the top of their game in a very complex part that is far beyond the normal type of role and story available for younger actors (especially female) in a breakthrough casting.
I’m looking forward to seeing ‘The Falling’ when it comes out on DVD (hopefully).
Nina has done an amazing job with the casting. It’s so difficult to cast child actors (especially for such big roles). I’m so happy Maisie is finally getting recognized for her work.
Btw, this interview with Kit came out. Are we getting a new post?
http://feature.thewrap.com/emmy-feature-kit-harington/
That’s interesting, because Show Arya isn’t very far off Book Arya.
Flayed Potatoes,
OMG he is such a charismatic and handsome man *faints*
We’ve known she hasn’t read the books but said a few years ago that her mother has and I imagine she told her a few things about the character, along with D&D and others. Still, she’s been pretty spot on from the very beginning and that was a factor in just about everyone saying Maisie was the perfect casting. It’s true that her dialogue and scenes shape what the character is but she’s done them so well that we just look at her and see Arya. Perhaps it would have altered her portrayal a bit had she read the books but I think it would be very close and no less excellent.
Flayed Potatoes,
Really nice interview! Thanks for posting.
Maisie is an amazingly talented natural actress, and, while I love Lena and her take on Cersei, I still think that Maisie is overdue for recognition for her work on this show. She is simply phenomenal. I’m rooting for her.
Ahh… That picture of Arya with Ned. I loved all the scenes of those two together. It’s so amazing how this talented young girl (now a lady) was able to keep up with veteran actors like Sean Bean and Charles Dance, and even managed to shine in those scenes. She’s truly a very gifted actress.